With less than a week to go until the funding clock strikes zero, the HYPE Kickstarter project is just over 79% Funded. HYPE is a sci-fi, action packed, dramatic twist on the super hero genre written by the team of Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray. Palmiotti and Gray have previously combined to write a number of titles such as: Power Girl, Jonah Hex, and Monolith. They are joined by Javier Pina and Alessia Nocera on art and Bill Tortolini on lettering and design. As an added bonus for Harley Quinn (or SuperZero) fans, Amanda Conner drew the impressive sleek cover.
The HYPE story: Noah Haller is HYPE, a last resort secret weapon for the United States Military, a man who can only be awake for a single hour on any given day. The genetic and medical enhancements that give him his superhuman abilities force him to undergo complete cellular regeneration – like being rebuilt or reborn every 23 hours. Hype is a wonderfully flawed character. His massive intellect lacks experience, context and nuance. He is initially like a computer full of information and capable of solving complex problems, but lacking in emotion and abstract thought to solve small ones.
Hype responds to sensory aspects of his environment with indifference. He has attention to detail but misses the “big picture” and social cues.Being awake only one hour a day leaves very little time to cultivate an emotional relationship with anyone including his handlers. That changes when he meets Amanda Marr, a brilliant scientist and psychologist hired to help Hype find a balance between being super and being human.Unfortunately for Hype and Amanda, his training is cut short when a shadowy terrorist group is poised to unleash a deadly pathogen that threatens to destabilize the world governments.
For as little as a $5.00 pledge, backers can receive the 52-page digital copy of HYPE. A jump to $12.00 will entitle backers to the digital copy as well as the full script, which would seem to be a nice draw for any aspiring comic book writer. Interested in a physical copy? $24.00 will ship a Palmiotti signed copy of HYPE to your front door, but kick in six more dollars and both Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner will sign your book. For those craving a little more from this creative team, $16.00 will reward you with the PaperFilms digital bundle containing HYPE, ABADDON, and DENVER. Of course there are some additional funding levels for those desiring even more rewards, which include: art prints, limited editions, and skype phone calls.
Personally, I’m going to back this project. I find the pitch and setup very intriguing and I certainly enjoy the art. If this project catches your eye and you want to grab a physical copy of the book, don’t drag your feet. HYPE will be printed on demand with only enough copies for Kickstarter backers printed. I definitely think this project, especially at the admission price of $5.00, is well worth your backing.
